Tonight's game vs Shalke could be anyone's game really. Manchester United have the experience to pull themselves through even without playing some of their blistering football from the yesteryears. Shalke have taken to this competition like a duck to water. They're fearless and are in a boisterous mood at the moment in the competition where if it clicks for them on the night, they will rip their opposition apart ruthlessly. While United have yet to concede away from home, Shalke haven't lost at home either. Shalke have a brutal midfield with Farfan being a driving force in the middle, while Raul puts his priceless experience to test yet again, with a first-timer club in this year's competition. Manchester United will want to learn from painful past experiences against the bogey German teams to give themselves any chance of a final berth. It promises to be a captivating two-legged semi-final affair when these two meet tonight.
Shalke dispelled of Valencia ( United's former group stage competitors ) in the pre-quarters while only just emphatically humiliating current holders Inter Milan in the quarter-finals. They also finished at the top of their respective group back in December.
Manchester United haven't had the easiest of games either, having won Marseilles only in the second leg at home in the pre-quarters; while making the best use of their tactics against a familiar Chelsea team in the quarter-finals.
PRO's
Shalke have more than a formidable record at home as they are tonights host.
They may be tenth in the Bundes Liga, but unlike Tottenham Hotspurs, another newcomer to this competition, they are utilizing their squad well. Central defender Howedes returns at a crucial time for the blue and white outfit. They've got nothing to lose in the League and are only competing in a cup competition aside from the Champions League.
Manager-less for part of the Campaign, now under the guidance of Ralf Rangnick, Shalke's new manager hasn't affected the dynamics of the squad and the flow of their football. He has let them carry on the way they were playing earlier which is a good thing I suppose.
Raul and Edu are a dangerous pair and in my opinion, neither of them can be underestimated.
Manchester United have a good unit in place and are a difficult team to breakdown. They don't have the mightiest squad on paper but they all carry out their duties exceptionally well. Tactically, they can be stubborn, dangerous and will grind out a favourable result. They have an almost full-strength squad without Berbatov and Fletcher. They are leading the Premiership table with four games to go aside from contesting for a final spot in this years Champions League Final's.
United don't have any players missing on suspension and neither are they at any immediate risk at losing one to a ban.
Rooney is coming into good form and the return of Ferdinand will boost the squad's composure and belief.
Anderson and Park return to the squad as well.
CON's
Shalke have 3 players on yellow cards and one more will mean that they miss out on the second leg of the Semi-finals at Old Trafford. One of them happens to be their talisman, Raul.
United can make it very difficult for themselves as I see them playing only on Counter-attacks. If they don't take their chances, Shalke can punish them - over both legs.
Berbatov's ruled out with a groin injury.
MY PREFERRED LINE UPS
SHALKE 04 ( 4-4-2 )
Neuer
Uchida Howedes Metzelder Sarpei
Farfan Papadopoulos Matip Jurado
Raul Edu.
MANCHESTER UNITED ( 4-5-1 )
Van Der Sar
Rafael Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Giggs
Rooney
Hernandez
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